The present invention relates to the system and method for manufacture of floor panels.
It is well known to provide for a raised floor system that includes floor panels installed in a grid upon a supporting structure such as stanchions. Such known floor systems typically provide for floor panels that are composed of a structure or shell (typically steel) and a fill material. The fill material is typically an aggregate or cementitious mixture (e.g., Portland cement and/or gypsum) and is filled into the shell and allowed to cure to form the floor panel. The fill material is intended to strengthen the panel, improves acoustic and heat transfer properties and flame resistance. Manufacture of such floor panels is typically completed at the manufacturing facility remote from the location at which the floor panels (i.e. the raised floor system) is to be installed. However, the result is a relatively heavy product (i.e. a complete floor panel of a 24 inch by 24 inch size may weigh approximately 20 to 40 pounds) that must be shipped to the installation site. Shipping of such floor panels by conventional means such as a tractor-trailer presents inefficiencies insofar as the shipping container reaches its maximum weight capacity well before it approaches its maximum volume capacity (e.g., a 48 foot trailer may reach total weight capacity or limit at approximately 1,425 floor panels but uses only approximately 30 percent of the total volume capacity at that limit). Moreover, shipping costs can become a not insubstantial portion of total product cost (e.g., approximately 20 to 25 percent for floor panels shipped from the Midwest to the Western United States). Furthermore, the handling of complete floor panels during shipping tends to be difficult due to the weight and shape (e.g., product yield may be reduced due to damage in shipment). Portland cement and gypsum are regionally available across the country and can be shipped more efficiently in bulk.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide for a system and method of manufacturing floor panels that allows for the realization of cost efficiencies of manufacturing and shipping. It would also be advantageous to provide for a system and method that allows for the shells of the floor panels to be manufactured at a remote site and delivered to or near an installation site along with fill material in bulk so that the manufacture of floor panels can be completed at or near the installation site. It would further be advantageous to provide for a system and method of manufacturing floor panels that employs a material handling system (e.g. reusable and nestable racks or the like) that are configured to improve space and cost efficiency during shipment and handling. It would further be advantageous to provide for a system and method of manufacturing floor panels through which the equipment used to complete the manufacture of the floor panels can be installed in a local facility and/or a transportable mobile unit located near the installation site. It would be further advantageous to provide a system and method of manufacturing floor panels employing a carrier that may be used throughout multiple manufacturing operations to reduce handling (e.g., in an effort to achieve a reduction in scrap loss due to shipping or handling damage) and improve throughput.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for the manufacturing of raised floor panels having one or more of these or other advantageous features.
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing tiles for use in a raised floor system, the tiles comprising an outer shell and an inner core material, the method comprising steps of constructing the shells at a manufacturing facility; transporting the shells to a remote location associated with a job site; and filling the shells with a fill material at the remote location.
The present invention also relates to a method for manufacturing tiles for use in a raised floor system, the tiles comprising an outer shell and an inner core material, the method comprising steps of constructing the shells at a manufacturing facility; providing a rack to hold the tiles during the manufacturing process, stacking the shells in a vertical orientation on the rack; transporting the shells to a remote location associated with a job site while on the rack; and filling the shells with a core material while on the rack at the remote location.